My dishwasher is backing up with brown water that looks awful and has a slight smell. Is it possible for sewage to back up into the kitchen pipes?

Sounds like you do have a blockage. How is the kitchen sink draining and is this where the washer drain is connected? Does the washer drain tee to the sink drain or go to your disposal? Back to you

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Originally Posted by phc

My dishwasher is backing up with brown water that looks awful and has a slight smell. Is it possible for sewage to back up into the kitchen pipes?

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Since the kitchen drain's connected to the sewer it's very possible for the sewage to back up into the kitchen drain piupes.
You have a blockage in the lateral drain in the wall. The solution is to remove the "J" bend from the trap and send a snake up into the wall. You will hit a bend about 8 inches in but crank around it and you have only have 5 more feet to put out. Flush with a sink full of hot water. Good luck, Tom